Presenting the awards, Sir David Attenborough said:
“These award-winners are champions at delivering practical ways of protecting our planet and its precious biodiversity through the use of sustainable energy. They are reducing carbon emissions and protecting local eco-systems, while improving the lives of the people they touch. They deserve to be celebrated for their important role in tackling both climate change and poverty.”

d.Light solar lantern

The overall Gold Award winner is D.light Design, India, which has contributed greatly to reduction of the health and pollution problems associated with the use of kerosene lighting through the design, manufacture and promotion of durable and affordable solar lanterns in India and across the developing world. The judges were particularly impressed with their highly effective marketing strategy which has put solar lighting within reach of over a million people in 32 countries with significant potential for further expansion.

The other winners include CRELUZ, Brazil, for creating a safe, clean and reliable electricity supply for rural communities in southern Brazil through the used of micro-hydro power and it was noted that CRELUZ directs a portion of the cooperative’s profits towards social and environmental projects.

TECNOSOL, Nicaragua, was selected for, in the words of the judges: “its enormous commitment and success in offering new opportunities to people in off-grid communities across Nicaragua through the expansion of solar PV and other renewable energy options and for its hugely successful marketing strategy which has ensured that solar PV is not only on offer across Nicaragua but also in neighbouring countries.”

There were two winners in Africa: Rural Energy Foundation, for its role in increasing the take-up of solar energy in Sub-Saharan Africa; and Sky Link Innovators, Kenya, which won the Award for Avoided Deforestation for popularizing the use of biogas within rural communities as a clean, cheap and safe alternative to wood for cooking.